ASA Bennies

[skootertrash]

Along the same subject. When are we gonna stop funding the competiveness of our company with our benefits?

The cost of EVERYTHING, fuel, planes, etc is rising. Instead of raising ticket prices they are raping everybody's contracts.

I actually had a woman sit next to me yesterday during my DH who bitched about her $139 flight from ATL to CVG. When I told her it was a bargain compared to what it cost in the 70's, she looked dumbfounded. The Walmartization of the world is going to be our downfall I fear.

I'm so sick of it!!

Thank you!!! Someone gets it! Although it is unrealistic to expect ASA to raise ticket prices because they are not an airline, they're a lift provider, it is reasonable to expect they treat their employees industry standard with wages, bennefits and work rules. Comair set the bar, XJT held the bar......where is it going now?

 

[zawillif]

I'm very happy with my HSA plan--of course I'm also single. Its great if you can go the first 2 years without going to the doctor much. If you can do that then you're set. However for most people with families this is not realistic. By the time I have a family I'll have a very nice sum of tax free money to pull from. As far as rising health costs, if everyone in the whole country switched to an HSA plan health care costs would drop dramatically. Again though, unrealistic.

 

[crj567]

I'm very happy with my HSA plan--of course I'm also single. Its great if you can go the first 2 years without going to the doctor much. If you can do that then you're set. However for most people with families this is not realistic. By the time I have a family I'll have a very nice sum of tax free money to pull from. As far as rising health costs, if everyone in the whole country switched to an HSA plan health care costs would drop dramatically. Again though, unrealistic.

I believe there are situations where you have to come out of pocket almost $10k for a family in a year. I remember a mechanic writing about how his situation was like that. He has a wife on some really expensive cancer meds and they come out of pocket for the max each year. Not a bad plan if the company kicked in something like 5k to 7k, but at the current levels, you could wind up in big trouble, fast.

The only guys this makes sense for are those who are young, single, and who don't own a house. If you don't fit in this category, you can wind up in big trouble.

 

[crj567]

Once again CRJ speaks as though he knows all.

The HSA is good for many, but not all.

I think we should all add CRJ to our ignore list.

Yeah, drop us a line when you have some major medical condition strike. The HSA is great if you never get sick, don't have a family, and have the good fortune of never getting in any accident.

Of course, we are not all created equal. I suppose that you could also think it is a great deal if daddy left you a sweet trust fund-right, champ? Some folks do this job for fun, not for profit.

 

[wms]

Thanks for the info.... So let me get this straight. If you go in for surgery and you pay out of pocket 2500, then 20% up to 6K? So for doctors visits etc you have to reach the 2500 bucks first before the insurance kicks in? Are there any other options?


We have a 0(zero) deductable plan and then we pay 10% up to 2500 per person or 5000 per family.

You got it right. You pay 100% to $2500 and then 20%. Max out of pocket is $6000/year. This is for medical. Dental and vision are traditional plans, basically one free visit and 20% for dental, and one free visit plus a percentage for vision.

Maybe our new XE MEC can work on this.

 

[Whydoitry]

All I can say is that I now hope this deal falls through. How is it that things can be so much better at XJT and we still have the lowest CASM?

 

[crj567]

All I can say is that I now hope this deal falls through. How is it that things can be so much better at XJT and we still have the lowest CASM?

Simple-

SKYW has not stripped away a lot of the nice stuff under threat of transferring aircraft away. Watch how fast things start to disappear once they whip that one out.

-Provided that one list doesn't come to pass.

 

[79%N1]

All I can say is that I now hope this deal falls through. How is it that things can be so much better at XJT and we still have the lowest CASM?

Because you can spread your costs over 100 more airframes. That is how it works, and why growth lowers an airlines costs, because they can spread it over more seats. You really need to stop using your "Low casm" as such a chest pounding tool. If, say, you lost 50 airplanes your casm would thus shoot sky high.

 

[Whydoitry]

Because you can spread your costs over 100 more airframes. That is how it works, and why growth lowers an airlines costs, because they can spread it over more seats. You really need to stop using your "Low casm" as such a chest pounding tool. If, say, you lost 50 airplanes your casm would thus shoot sky high.

Well then how do you compare costs in this industry? That is just how it is, it's not chest pounding, it's how costs are measured.

 

[NotTooBad]

Thanks for the info.... So let me get this straight. If you go in for surgery and you pay out of pocket 2500, then 20% up to 6K? So for doctors visits etc you have to reach the 2500 bucks first before the insurance kicks in? Are there any other options?


We have a 0(zero) deductable plan and then we pay 10% up to 2500 per person or 5000 per family.

That is true but you have to remember it is offset by the lower premiums and the tax savings for the HSA....not to mention anything the company throws in. The company has no scheduled contributions at this time but rumor has it they are going that direction. They did offer 500/1000 (Single/Family) for initial sign ups for the HDHP.

 

[Plainsman]

They should offer 500/1000 single/family a year period. If the company saves money they will do it.

 

[centralpilot]

They should offer 500/1000 single/family a year period.

At the bare minimum. Higher company contributions would encourage more to choose HDHP/HSA option. If we allow the the company to end the PPO plan in contract negotiations (hope not), we'd better lock in generous company HSA contributions and strong limitations on changes that can be made to the HDHP terms (deductibles, max out of pocket, etc.)

 

[sweptback]

All I can say is that I now hope this deal falls through. How is it that things can be so much better at XJT and we still have the lowest CASM?

Things are so good at XJT that you lost money last quarter, and the quarter before that. If your costs are so low, why are you not making money?

Also, your United airplanes are on a short-term contract. They may be extended, or they may not be. What happens to your costs when the aircraft is parked?

 

[Tarzan]

Comair set the bar, XJT held the bar......where is it going now?

Until they took concessions...... Just sayin!

 

[Whydoitry]

When I say things are good at XJT I am referring to our contract and benefits. You can have the lowest costs but if you don't charge enough to cover them you're going to lose money. I never said we had great management, although until about a year ago I did support them.

As for concessions, yes we bent over and took it, but that was only to our pay rates, no work rules, and our rates are still at the top of the industry. Hell, had we not taken those concessions, our rates would have been higher than than just about all other regional's 70/90 seat rates. Just sayin....